Bedwas 20-40 Merthyr
Saturday February 25, Bedwas
Merthyr RFC left Bridgefield with a bonus-point win after Bedwas were outfought and outthought in a muddy Principality Premiership encounter.
The home side had to make late changes to their starting 15 after back-rower Robson Blake became a father early on Saturday morning, and centre Adam Williams pulled up injured in the warm-up.
From the start, Merthyr dominated possession, and took the lead after 12 minutes. Scrum-half Justin James darted through a gap in the home defence to cross the whitewash, and full-back Matthew Jarvis added the conversion.
Bedwas settled down and tried valiantly to get back into the game. Reward came as outside-half Richard Powell was on target with two penalty goals to reduce the arrears to a solitary point, but injury struck again as scrum-half and captain Nicky Griffiths was replaced by Tom Rowlands.
Jarvis increased Merthyr’s lead to four points with a well-struck penalty, but Bedwas grabbed their first try just before the interval. A clearance kick was charged down by lock Geraint Edmunds, and flanker George Lee reacted quickest to pounce on the loose ball. Powell added the conversion as Bedwas edged ahead for the first time. Their advantage was short-lived, as Jarvis slotted from the tee once again to leave the scores finely poised at 13-13 at the break.
Bedwas replaced their entire front-row in the 49th minute as they defended a close-range lineout, but Merthyr successfully claimed the ball and their aptly-named captain and second-rower, Craig Locke, crashed over the line.
Three minutes later, and Ironmen winger Richard Carter showed some fine footballing skills to hack a loose ball into space, sprint onto it, and clinch his side’s third try. Jarvis continued to shine, slotting the conversion and another penalty to put daylight between the two teams.
Merthyr notched their bonus-point try just after the hour mark, as replacement hooker Nathan Trevett crossed.
Any hopes the home side held of a comeback evaporated when James Richards was sin-binned for a rucking offence with ten minutes left, but Bedwas did grab another score as winger Pat Lewis danced his way through. Powell added the conversion, but it was too little too late.
Jarvis made sure the match ended in Merthyr’s favour, nudging over a penalty in stoppage time, and leaving the scores at 20-40.
Bedwas next face Bridgend in the Fosters Challenge Cup semi-final at the Brewery Field on March 11, after the tie was brought forward from Wednesday March 15.
• Match report and photography by Ian Lovell of Bedwas RFC.